Mischief ▷ Carlos De Vil [1] #wattys2016

16. the end

It was sometime past noon when Clara rolled out of bed the next day, a big grin on her face as she realised school was done with for the year and as soon as she had packed, she could go home and forget about this year's dramas for a while.

She had barely just got changed when Ben came bounding in, Mal by his side.

"Hey Sleepyhead, how did you sleep?" her brother asked, walking over to her wardrobe and pulling out her suitcase so they could begin packing.

"Like a baby and you?"

"Like a king- oh wait!"

"Ha-ha, you're oh so funny." Clara teased, softly pushing Ben's arm as he placed a stack of her clothes into her monochrome suitcase.

"I know, and hey, since I'm funny and kind, why don't you two girls go have a little chat while I pack a bit for you?" Ben suggested, making his intentions very clear. He wanted her to forgive Mal; he wanted them to make up and get along.

"I'd like that, you up for a walk?" Mal asked, fiddling with the hem of her shirt as Clara took her time replying.

"Yeah, okay." Clara nodded back, her face blank and free of emotion. She loved her brother and he loved Mal, so she wanted to make an effort to at least hear the girl out; although as far as forgiving her and Carlos went, she wasn't making any promises.

"Oh, great!" Mal grinned, grabbing Clara's tanned arm and leading her out of her dorm room. Not saying another word until they were out of earshot. "Look, Clara, I just wanted to apologise and I think you should know that I told Carlos not to get you involved. I didn't want you to feel like you had been used, you trusted us and had been so kind, I wasn't willing to betray you."

"What about Ben then? Hadn't he only been kind and trusting too?"

"Yes, but we didn't have another option. We had to retrieve the wand and the only way for us to successfully do that would be to take it during the coronation and I could only get close enough to grab it if I were sitting front and center."

"So?"

"So, only family and Ben's girlfriend were to sit up the front. I didn't think he would like me for me on his own, so we gave it a push and slipped him a love potion. At the same time, Carlos was completely smitten by you and drugged you as well, also thinking it was the only way to get you to fall for him. I promise you his intentions weren't bad, he simply fell for you and didn't know what else to do. The love potion was there so he took it, you were all he wanted and the potion was going to give him that."
Mal explained, her sparkly eyes begging Clara to listen and believe her.

"Mal, I appreciate it but the thing is, I don't have any trust left for you and I don't know if I should believe any of what you've just said. I'm not a fool, despite how Carlos played me and I'm a lot more cautious. I want to make this very clear, I do not hate you, but I don't trust you. You make Ben happy and I respect that, I will not make things hard for you, but I ask that you don't pressure me or encourage Ben to talk me into forgiving Carlos. There are still feelings involved and I don't know how I really feel, the whole thing is just terribly messy and I need more time to think everything over."

"To think everything over or to forget about Carlos?"

"Maybe both, I don't know." Clara shrugged and in that moment the air between them shifted. Everything was out in the open and Mal knew exactly how Clara felt, no more mind games or mental promises of revenge. Clara wasn't angry with Mal, she didn't necessarily feel negatively towards her, but as she mentioned, she didn't trust her.

Clara had no doubt over time she would begin to trust Mal again, especially if she continued to make Ben as happy as she had been. For now though, she was not ready; just as she was not ready to face Carlos and discuss everything that had happened because she wasn't angry, she just wasn't sure.

"Okay, I won't push you to do or say anything nor will I ask Ben to. I really do just want to be friends, I think we could get along rather well."

"You might just be right, only time will tell." Clara replied, giving the purple-haired girl a strange smile. It was almost as though Clara knew something that Mal did not and perhaps she did, all that was clear was that they were not friends, but there was a future.

Carlos on the other hand, he was another story.

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A/N: CONGRATS FOR MAKING IT TO THE END OF MISCHIEF! I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED IT AND YES, THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL!!!!!